Aussies make first financial offer to save Super League

Rugby league’s governing body has confirmed it has received an investment offer from the Australia Rugby League Commission (ARLC) which governs the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia.

The sport has faced a financial crisis in recent years as TV money from Sky has dropped and the sport has been increasingly dependent on one major sponsor. 

In a detailed analysis of the looming crisis for the sport last year TheBusinessDesk.com reported that sponsorship remains tough at all levels, Betfred sponsors the Super League competitions, the Challenge Cup, and the England national team. 

In a statement, Super League said: “RL Commercial can confirm that a first offer has been received from the ARLC (Australian Rugby League Commission) as part of the sport’s recapitalisation project.”

The offer from Down Under hasn’t come out of the blue, earlier this year Elisabeth Bowes, Deputy High Commissioner to theUK, a senior diplomat also revealed, in response to questions from TheBusinessDesk.com, confirmed that she had been involved in getting Australia’s governing body to work closer with Britain’s Super League. 

She had also played proactive role in securing Australian investment for the London Broncos team, highlighting the sport as a “great case study for how we can benefit from each other’s expertise.”